1. Technical Field
The invention relates to decorative visual display devices.
2. Background Prior Art
Many types of visual display devices are known for providing different types of entertaining visual effects. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,135,604 discloses a decorative water lamp including a water container supported on a base. The base houses an air pump, a light emitter unit controlled by an electronic circuit board, and an audio speaker. An air tube extends from the pump outlet into the water container to send air into the water to produce a xe2x80x9cshocked water current.xe2x80x9d The light emitter supplements the effect with visual color alterations, while the speaker provides audio accompaniment.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,843,244 discloses an apparatus for continuously transforming projected images. The apparatus includes a transparent container containing two differently colored, immiscible translucent liquids of different viscosity, density, and transparency. An external air pump injects a stream of air into the container to agitate the liquids so that a continuously changing visual display is produced by projecting light through the container.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,085,533 discloses a device for producing aesthetic effects using more than two immiscible liquids contained in a manner defining several layers or strata of liquids. As best shown in FIGS. 6-10, the device uses an external pump to continuously transport one of the liquids into a layer of another of the liquids. When the pumped liquid is released in the dissimilar liquid layer, a visual effect is created as the pumped liquid flows in a steady stream through the dissimilar layers to return to its own layer.
The present invention provides a device and method for creating new and different visual effects using two immiscible liquids. The general purpose of the invention is to beautify a room. In one embodiment, the invention also includes a light source so that the device can serve as a lamp to as aesthetically light a room.
In another embodiment, the invention provides a device including a light source, a pump, and a randomizing circuit inside the base. Above the base is a transparent container including two liquids that are immiscible and that have sufficiently different densities or specific gravities that the liquids form layers or strata with a defined interface between the layers. The pump is in fluid communication with the liquids and is operable to inject a portion of the lowest (most dense) liquid into the upper portion of the vessel containing the upper (less dense) strata of liquid. The pump operates to discharge a portion of the more dense liquid upwardly through the interface and then remains inactive for a period of time to afford settling of the more dense fluid into the lower region of the vessel.
In another embodiment, the invention provides a method for creating a visual display. In particular, the method includes the acts of: providing a vessel; providing first and second immiscible liquids of different densities in the vessel; and the act of pumping a portion of the first liquid into the second liquid such that a burst of the first liquid is observable in the second liquid. The act of pumping a portion of the first liquid into the second liquid can include providing a pump in fluid communication with the vessel and operating the pump intermittently to create intermittent bursts of the first liquid. The act of pumping a portion of the first liquid into the second liquid also can include pumping the first liquid in a substantially vertical direction into the second liquid.
Instead of pumping air into a container to agitate the immiscible liquids, and instead of continuously transporting one liquid into another to produce a relatively steady-stream return flow through one or more layers, the visual display device of the present invention pumps a first colored liquid from, and partially through, a first layer and directly into a second layer of transparent liquid having a substantially different density.
In another embodiment, the more dense liquid has a coloring agent and the less dense liquid is clear. A burst of colored liquid explodes into the transparent liquid and then gently and randomly falls, under the force of gravity, back into the layer of colored liquid to achieve an effect resembling a colored geyser or a magma eruption. The colored burst is preferably intermittent, and can be achieved using a pump that is preferably submerged directly in the colored liquid. An electronic circuit board controls the timing and intensity of the bursts by controlling the operation of the pump. Lighting and audio accompaniment are preferably provided to enhance the visual effect.
The present invention provides advantages to existing display devices. For example, the display device requires no warm-up time. Rather, it is operable immediately upon energizing the pump. Nor does the display heat to unsafe, hazardous or untouchable conditions.
Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following detailed description, claims, and drawings.